I think the only tournaments our team is doing in the spring are Jeff Cup and the pre-ecnl tournament in South Carolina. I assume the spring is going to be an all out disaster with DA movements and players practicing with the team, so it should be fun..just like last year!

This age bracket will be at lower end of u14/15 age bracket, so probably only 5 or 6 girls making team or 25 percent of team. So I don't see as much movement next year. Also don't think GDA will have their $hit together first year anyway.

2004 age is group is strong in Region 1. Lots of elite players playing up this year in the U14/U15 teams. Saw about 10 players that were standouts at EDP's PDP evaluation last Sunday. I assume most of those play up. Hard to tell. Interesting was the players were supposed to wear their Club jerseys. Lots of Pa, NJ and Virginia invited. Nice event. Unlike NTC where its just white shirts etc.

Couldn't agree more about NTC. This months' NTC was a joke. The girls stood around most of the time. Only half the trainers were there. December brought in a new group that was added to the regulars. The regular players ran circles around them. Their is a core group of 13-15 players that would make one heck of a team. Funny thing is most of those players play up at U14 and U15.

I am sorry I missed the PDP event sounds good but I got a email that my daughter will still be invited to the next one and I plan on making that one. Just happy to hear it wasn't crap like some other things that I have been to.

Heard NTC is much higher caliber and that is where the best players from ecnl teams go. Usually PDA and MC will only offer their top two or three per age group, although many more should be there. I haven't heard of any ecnl players going to this from coach recommendations. Although my daughter didn't get recommended for NTC, have been told by several parents she and two others should be there based on level of play from players from other clubs. Believe PDP is for the ecnl clubs npl players.

Question is whats the goal? National Team? D1 College? Either way both will help on that road beyond other garbage programs like ODP and Summer select. First and most important, PDP and NTC are free. Both are subsidized by US Soccer. Second, both are invite only. Invites are based on coaches who know who their best players are. If they send players not up to par then they will not be asked send anymore. PDP gets you to be truly seen for the next level beyond NTC, id2 camp. (Best girls in the region, show up for weekend of training and get showered with Nike gear etc.) The girls love it!! If you rock at that camp then your selected to go to another camp where the best national girls are sent. This is how the U14 National and beyond teams are selected. PDP is more camp selective. NTC can recommend for id2 as well but much harder. NTC evaluates at an earlier age and therefore watches the player develop. Both are great, if you just do one your fine, if your lucky enough to go to both, your chances are better to be chosen for camp.

NTC gives you much better visibility and exposure. They are run directly by natl team reps and coaches, including the current u14 coach who attends the training session. Not sure how Pdp can give you more exposure?

Was just checking on the ecnl Pdp program and this is what they have listed for 16/17 year. Seems outdated based on age groups?

In 2016-2017, there will be eleven such programs taking place across the country, with every ECNL Club assigned to one either based upon their conference or their geographic location. The ECNL PDPs will bring together the top 60 players within the conference or geographic region for a weekend of training, competition, and education. Each ECNL PDP will include approximately 60 players: 30 from the 1997/1998 age groups, and 30 from the 1999/2000 age groups.

11:00 - It would definitely be an issue for an '03 trying to make an '02-01 team, which would put pressure on the '03 to play for their age group. That would then put pressure on '04's with increased quality in the '03 age group. I think it's a good thing to break the groups apart, though. It will keep a lot more of the 04's in the DA system versus going a different route, at least for a year.

The DA team would have to be extremely elite to pull age appropriate girls from older teams. Typically if you play up the player is extremely good, and if you play up two years then your looking at a team changing player. Team changers are very rare. Team changer: Player that adds so much strength to a team it changes the entire dynamic of the squad.

Yes, they are not looking for the one in a thousand, just want the girls to have fun and everything to be fair. And I'm sure the NTC won't bring any players up either, makes no sense. This is really just a replica of your town travel team. Stick with it.

DA will not have players playing up. But, the best players will not join a DA if they are playing up on successful teams with strong training. If your an 04 player playing up and that team is dominating everyone, why would you leave that team to join a DA that is not as successful in games and tournaments or offering better training. Now the criteria will change in a few years because the younger player will be without a team since the team will disperse at u18. Thats going to be crucial issue. You have these star players who played up and now are without a team. They will essentially gravitate to the next "best" situation. Problem is do they replace players during the showcasing seasons? Many issues are going to arise from the age mandate that come down the road in a few years.

US Soccer sent a letter to clubs a few weeks ago stating that 2003 and 2004 will be separate teams for the DA next year. I see no reason why an '04 or an '05 would be stopped from playing up a year. I think the issue for current '03's playing on an '02 team is that it will be a lot harder to make a 2001-2002 DA team, since those years will still be combined.

What are the odds cedar stars pulls off some strong teams next year? Im sure they will have tryouts well after PDA and pick up the ones that don't make it. Knowing my luck, it will be my daughter, this sport is so subjective. Maybe the reason why they are not announcing anything. If they provide it for free, they will increase the odds.

In NJ there is will be no dominate DA for 04'. The best players are spread all over the state and the parents are not willing to do the drive. The so called best players at NTC come from all over but that is only once a month. Most of those girls play up anyway. Not many options. Nothing will change. Tryouts this Spring will be small. Not manny are going to jump ship unless they have a nightmare situation going on.

You are kidding right? You think kids won't jump at the opportunity to play for a true DA? You have to be a person who is opposed to the DA in general to say something like that. Do you also realize that saying something like "there won't be a dominant DA" is ludicrous? How will you measure "dominance" when all the DA's will be playing in their own league against other DA's? In year 1, (maybe it will take til year 2) there won't be a team in the state that will be able to hang with the DA's.

The bigger issue is, why would you even care about whether a DA is dominant or not? There will be plenty of opportunities to play at the college level for the kids who choose to play high level club ball, the DA won't have any effect on that.

Without a doubt one of the best run. I assume you had a bad experience with refs making bad calls against your team? For tourneys that size and that many teams it has to be a monumental task to find exceptional refs for all age groups. This is why they run the tourney over four weekends. Hopefully, next time the calls will go more toward your teams way.

This guy must have some nerve trying to come into this area to draw players for his joke of a program. Especially in this age range, where the local teams are cheap and well coached and the several academy teams he will be competing with likely would have low interest in him. And who gives a damn about the Liverpool name. What a joker.

Very poor 7:29.. very sad you are. shaming developing players, teams, and clubs!

I've never heard a bad thing about that coach. There will always be parents and players looking for an opportunity to be in positive developmental program and varying levels of play to join. Some of these bigger multi location merger clubs are simply talent collectors and not talent builders!

And you are talking about an 03 team on an 04 blog because??? IG Liverpool whatever they call themselves now, actually has 1/2 a team that's good. The other half isn't as good. It's hard to make a team work like that. I saw them at the Copa tournament myself because I was curious as to what that coach was up to after he and voorhees parted ways. If he could replace the one half of the team and move some kids positions around they would be well suited. Maybe come try outs things will be different for them. I just feel bad for the decent players on that team. I could clearly see the frustration on their faces having to deal with the less skilled players on their team at that tournament. Oh well it is what it is. I just wish adults would use better words instead of crap team etc... what I watched was not a rec team. The game I saw they had many shots on goal vs their opposing team that day. But I guess if you play against a good goalie and you can't get by them you are labeled crap. Smdh. Glad my kid isn't on a so called "crap" team. Go PDA!

At 1103... you really just don't get it. The pay a fortune to play mentality is what keeps this country from being super competitive on the global stage. There is real talent in this country and when another pay a fortune to play comes up- especially for a lower level team, it takes away opportunities for players who can't afford it. It destroys the town team mentality and causes them to either disappear or give in to the powerful so called academy teams. This is the only country that this happens in- and holds back so many great players or prospects who just simply can't afford it. You may call elitist soccer good for your child- but it is awful for the growth of soccer in the country and no offense to mr lynch, but his programs cost is way way too excessive for the level they play at. Forcing a team to play edp just to say they play edp is nonsense and they should only play that level once they have proven they can play and dominate lower levels. The whole let's create a team and throw them to the wolves without even testing them is a pure sign that he isn't about the growth of his players- and really only about the growth of his checkbook. I would rather have my child play on a local town team then ever wasting my money for this experience. I can really go further into this but I am afraid you would too too irrational and not see or understand the big picture. And yes my daughters town team is very competitive.

Win the most games? Win the most tournaments? Have the most got soccer points? Get the most college money to any college?Get the most college money to a college the player would like to attend?Use soccer to help get a kid to quality academic college? Offer a quality soccer experience by breaking the bank? Offer a quality soccer experience and not break the bank?Help a kid develop their character?

With SJEB and Rush merging, the new 04' team could be lethal. A lot of strong 04's in South Jersey. The SJEB team is already good, adding more firepower will only improve an impressive squad. I have a feeling some past teammates may be reuniting. Should be interesting to hear who makes the new squad. They will have a big pool to pull from.

I will take average any day of the week. Usually people say a team is horrible on this board. Regardless, should be interesting to what happens. They won't get the elite 04's in the area but they will improve to say the least. Happy for them.

Rush does not have an 04 team, any 04 players play on their 03 team. With the merge Rush officially has an 04 team now.

Not sure what the other post was about but in my opinion the elites are the players in the area that are extremely good. NTC players who play on 03 and 02 teams and are play makers. In soccer age does not always define ability.

Biggest waste of time ever. Every road game is like 20 hours away and it's an almost required stay over. Further, many of the teams are nothing special. Just a lot of money for nothing more than what you can get in a local division.

Actually YES. You can fight it all you want, but most and notice I said most and not all, but most of the better players will flock to the ECNL clubs. I'm not saying it's right or wrong but that's just what happens. The ones that can't perform at that level will funnel back down and there will be a new crop trying the next year. Eventually 99% of the players end up where they should be. There's really no need to get your heart rate up about it at this age. Let your daughter play where she is comfortable and if she's driven to try the next level up, give her the opportunity. It's really not rocket science, it's the parents' egos that get in the way and screw up the experience for the kid. JUST LET THEM PLAY!

Disagree. You cannot get blood from a stone. Only the strong players with the time and money to join such a league will join such a league. If you pay attention, you see which players do and do not pursue it and how that relates to $$$ available in addition to talent.

Free boys academies have more lower income talent participating due to the lower costs. Same would happen on the girl's side if the GDA had a similar set up, which it does not.

Did YOU watch ALL the top players from ALL the other leagues? Nobody has time to do that so just stop with the nonsense. Back to my original statement that MOST of the better players will go to the top leagues regardless of price. Are there some that can't afford it? Sure, that's why it's most and not all.

Why you're arguing this is ridiculous, it just shows you have an inherent bias against the ECNL and the DA. The reason your argument about price doesn't hold water is, there's not a club out there that wouldn't take a kid because they can't afford it. All clubs, especially the top ones, have financial assistance for those who truly can't afford it. I'm not talking about the family making $150k+ who say they can't "afford" it because they drive around two mortgage payments trying to look rich and then complain they can't afford soccer fees for their kids.

What are your numbers (facts) that backup the boys DA having a lower income demographic? Since you said it, I'm assuming you can back that up with data? In other words, you're saying all the players' families in the boys DA program are surveyed and they disclose their income? Similarly, how did you come across that info for the girls DA players - especially when the girls DA players haven't even been selected yet? It seems as though your argument, sorry the argument that has been said for years about soccer in the US, is based on something other than concrete facts.

This is going off tangent so I'll bring it back to the original discussion - how do you know that kids from lower income families won't have equal access to the DA clubs as everyone else?

There are dozens and dozens of sources chronicling how high level soccer in the US in wealthy and white because of the cost. Google is your friend. You could also just look around the next time you attend a high level youth game. Or notice which of the strong players left your local club and went to the pricey academies and how that relates to wealth and not just talent.

High cost will obviously limit the player pool but the boys have apparently made progress and I hope the same for the girls.

This is from soccer america about the boys da - and talks about how it is starting to attract more diverse players. (more does not mean many)

"......A decade later, youth soccer remains too expensive, but there has been a significant amount of progress in addressing the “diversity problem.” Some of which should have been hard to ignore for Carpenter, who last November wrote a Guardian article about the FC Dallas youth program. FC Dallas won the 2015 U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-16 national title with a team whose was roster was more than 50 percent Latino.

In fact, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy has vastly increased the opportunities for lower-income players to climb the ladder and has made elite youth soccer more diverse. While MLS clubs subsidize their academy programs so players don’t have to pay, U.S. Soccer’s financial aid program has paid out nearly $2 million in DA scholarship funds since 2008. U.S. Soccer’s nationwide network of Training Centers to identify players with youth national team potential are cost-free. Latinos comprised a third of the DA’s 66 all-conference selections for 2015-16 season and are well represented on DA clubs in areas with significant Hispanic communities.

Moreover, 13 percent of the Development Academy players are immigrants, born in more than 100 different nations, nearly 40 percent from Latin American countries."

OMG, talking with you is like talking to a 3rd grader. WHERE are your facts? Not an opinion column quote that you didn't even credit. WHERE are the facts on the girls DA and cost? WHERE is the demographic info you spoke about for the boys and girls? I'm not talking about whether someone is Latino or White or Green and from the moon, I want you to post the financial information backing up your claim. You can't so let's just end this.

136 - not sure I understand. NTC is further than GDA for many. in NJ we have three options so far, cedar stars in south, PDA central and NYSC in the north, just over the border. All three are closer for many then the NTC.

Barcelona had a difficult weekend at Jeff Cup finishing last in their 4th bracket group. They do have some players on that team but I would assume the writing is on the wall and you will see many navy blue Nike back packs at other tryouts in the next few weeks. Jeff Cup is over and recruiting season has begun. Critical time now heading into U14. Need to find a team that will be showcasing at a high level starting at U15 and has the ability to draw strong players.

SDFC, STA-MUSC, STALLIONS all had it rough at the Jeff Cup.@9:22. It will be an interesting tryout season for every team. We are seeing just how the birth year change has effected all the teams and Tournament placement. ( all brackets were a mix of ECNL, NPL and EDP teams)

It looks like Continental and PF tryouts are the same day, time, and location. That should make things quite interesting next month! It also looks like PAC tryouts are a few weeks earlier. I wonder how many kids from PF and CFC will go for the DA at PAC.

Let's see, if I'm from the Lancaster, York, or Harrisburg area and currently play for Penn Fusion I'd give a lot of consideration to PAC for DA.Why travel further since PF and PAC are on equal footing now? Unless of course you prefer ECNL over DA.

Liverpool fc? Lol- what a waste of time for anyone even interested. By the time he can even get enough decent players, those players will be in college and it won't mean a thing. He should start with just the young ones and work his way into a program. His other program sucks so what parent will want to pay all that money for a crappy fake academy nonsense except dumb ones.

lol Liverpool that's funny. He has 2 teams currently and the 1 isn't too good. I hear he is asking a lot for the LP team. Totally not worth it. But it's not so much his training that's an issue. I just don't think he knows what he's doing as a business. I've heard a couple of complaints but I'm not one to gossip.

I saw that Cedar Stars Monmouth black beat SJEB 4-1 in the NJ Cup. There is no history for the Cedar Stars team and this is a surprising result because we have played the SJEB team and they are a very solid team. Does anyone have insight into who this Cedar Stars team is? I am thinking that they moved over as a team from another club over the winter break.

Cedar Stars Black is the NJ Wildcats 04 Spring team. The coach and trainer took both his 04 and 03 team to Cedar Stars Mid Year. Trainer never signed a contract with Wildcats and his brother is at Cedar Stars. Sounds Fishy! Cedar Stars Black most likely borrowed players from his brothers Cedar Stars green team for NJ Cup since the Green team did not apply. Shame for the players on black most likely losing playtime to some green players for the win! Should be about development. With Cedar Stars becoming Academy parents and players better understand that the Academy team should be the top 2 players on every elite team in the area including the current Cedar Stars teams, otherwise, the Academy team will be a failure!

We are new to South Jersey. My daughter is looking for a soccer team for next year. She is a competitive player but not DA or ECNL level. I'm looking at her options. Please let me know if I'm missing any clubs and what your thoughts are on choices. GPS, SJEB, PDA, Washington United, Deptford Premeire, Harrison, Medford Strikers. Thanks

Why would the former wildcats team need help from the cedar stars team for the state cup? And if the wildcats went to cedar stars what team is the wildcat team that is in EDP division 1 with that cedar stars team? Something does not add up here. Maybe the whole team didn't go and there will be player sharing between cedar stars black and green to fill out the roster of the new team this spring if that is even allowed

Wildcats 04 is the new Cedar Stars Black team. Wildcats and Cedar Stars Green teams could not beat SJEB in the Fall. Seems they used players from both teams this weekend since they beat SJEB 4-1 in NJ Cup. Both teams will play in the same EDP division this Spring and they will probably share players for those games as well for the wins. Remember the coaches are brothers. Doesn't seem fair to the Cedar Stars Green team that formed in the Fall and is suppose to be their top team.

Academy soccer is not about fairness, if you want fair you should play rec where everyone gets equal time. Academy soccer is not for everyone, some kids thrive, while others will crumble. You need to know if your kid can handle it or better yet, can you as a parent handle it. Most parents can't.

Very funny that you refer to Cedar Stars girls as Academy Soccer. Academy Soccer believes in development of players and if you are successful in development your Academy will be successful. The only real Academy organizations are Red Bulls for the boys and PDA for the girls. Cedar Stars is taking over organizations to try and get quality players to form a girls Academy while PDA can use their existing players. Red Bulls and PDA will continue to pave the way for youth soccer in New Jersey. DA caliber players train 7 days a week and give up most of their youth for soccer and deserve everything they have worked so hard for. By age 15 if your child has worked hard enough and is good enough those organizations will add them to their rosters. Has nothing to do with fairness or what parents can handle!

PDA was the only game in town and therefore they got the best players in order to play ECNL, they didn't develop half the players they have. If they only develop their own players why bother having open tryouts every year. Your logic is flawed.

My daughters team is breaking up. Are there any teams in central jersey worth checking out. Mercer, lower middlesex or northern Burlington counties only. I was referred to match fit but they don't have a team this age and I can't afford them.

@3:10 It's very easy. Just check the top teams in the state through got soccer and see which ones are close by you. http://home.gotsoccer.com/rankings/results.aspx?Country=USA&Level=State&Gender=Girls&Age=13&Region=1&State=NJ

Not everyone got the memo that only arrogant pompous fools that totally over estimate the importance of playing for fancy kid soccer teams in fancy kid soccer leagues are allowed to post on this forum.

Still no named team? Apparently there are no teams in that area that teach the game correctly. Since you can't name a team, please tell me how one teaches the game correctly and name a couple teams in your area that may fit that mold.

Don't forget SJEB is now RUSH starting Aug 1st. From U12-U19 it is now SJEB/Rush but in all actuality its Rush. Rush is the largest youth soccer program in the world 44K players. Each age group has at least 3 teams.

Apparently you didn't read. The commenter wanted tips for an affordable team in mercer or northern Burlington. Shen isn't located there and pda is not affordable. The options listed are solid teams in that area. #dumbass #can't read #promotionofthedeathofyouthsoccer

Then why did you put Medford Strikers as an option? You do realize they're as expensive as PDA & SJEB right? Add in their Universal training which supposedly isn't mandatory but it really is and you're double what the other two are.

7:59 - Are you 4 years old? I ask because your response points to a low IQ. Do you have any idea how the NJ Cup works? First of all genius it's not the state cup, that happened in the fall. Maybe you should Google how SJEB did in that tournament and report back. The spring NJ Cup is just another tournament and if you had half a clue about soccer in the state, you'd know about the team that beat them and the players they used (anyone can put a club all-star team together). I guess their number #1 ranking in the state means nothing to you? #1 GotSoccer and #3 for USA Youth soccer so don't spout off about GotSoccer points meaning nothing. How about you name 5 teams in the state that are better than them?

I am new to this and hope that someone can explain. Why do some teams have their rosters posted on gotsoccer while others do not? I wanted to look up the cedar stars black team that beat sjeb impressively but then narrowly beat watchung hills 1-0 in league play. The roster is hidden. Sta also does not have a roster but sdfc and crush both do. I was told that if you play in tournaments your roster has to be listed but that is obviously wrong information.

Some clubs don't want strangers looking up names for 12/13 year old girls, it's a little creepy. SJEB has a decent team, however they just play long ball, they don't build out of the back and that will catch up to them.

I will explain again! Cedar Stars black is the 04 Wildcats Lopez team from the Fall. The coach and trainer screwed Wildcats and went to Cedar Stars. Cedar Stars has a very good Green team and now they have Cedar Stars black which is another very good team from Wildcats. Both coaches are brothers. You can see how they screwed Wildcats and left mid year leaving the Wildcats with lots of rebuilding and playing in the top division. Will be tough season for Wildcats but everyone in the Division knows what went down. Wildcats went to Cedar Stars because they became a girls DA and brothers had a plan. They play with their own rosters for division play since they play in the same division but come together for tournaments because they can. That is how they are being successful. Green team got screwed as well since some of those girls won't make the tournament roster. Its a mess at Cedar Stars. Parents will be very disappointed after DA tryouts and most players don't make the roster. If they combine the 2 teams for DA it will not be very successful just like most of the Cedar Stars teams. PDA is the place to be if your child is good enough and has worked hard enough!